


Begin as We Mean to Continue

by Blackwidina



Series: 52 Short Stories [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: 52 Short Stories in 52 Weeks Challenge, Gwen Ships It, Multi, Pre-Slash, i think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-14
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-13 23:19:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5720791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackwidina/pseuds/Blackwidina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Week 2: A story about rising to a challenge</p>
<p>Overturning the bans against magic turned out to be more difficult than ever expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Begin as We Mean to Continue

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly didn't intend to write a sequel to Week 1, but it fit so well together that it pretty much is. I don't think you need to read 'A New Beginning' to understand or enjoy this, so feel free to skip it.

Overturning the bans against magic turned out to be more difficult than ever expected.

To begin with, in his quest for equality, Arthur had sacrificed a certain amount of his power. Originally, it was to avoid potential catastrophe, as the consequences of the Catrina incident had never really left Arthur's mind. He wanted the people to have a fail-safe in case he was 'corrupted by magic into the loss of his free will.'

Which is how Merlin found himself in the dungeons shortly after being revealed as a sorcerer to the council.

A certain number of councillors were required to make the accusation of enchantment, but, after a lengthy but thorough examination and interrogation/interview, Arthur was cleared of suspicion via unanimous vote of the select group that could clear him (Gwen, Gaius, Leon, Gwaine, and George, whom Merlin had authorized to stand in his place should something befall him.)

When a repentant Arthur came down the steep steps to the dungeon cell reserved for sorcerers (and _that_ was an odd thought—what would they use this cell for now?) Merlin just rolled off the thin pallet he'd been resting on and waved off the king's apologies. “Maybe we should have told them I have magic _after_ the law was changed?”

Arthur shook his head. “They would have done the same thing. It's better to have you already pardoned and involved in the discussions and lawmaking, rather than have the whole thing called into question _after_ the fact. We must begin as we mean to continue.”

And of course, once magical enchantment was ruled out as a possibility, the rumours turned towards a much more . . . mundane sort of “enchantment.”

“It's _ridiculous,_ ” Merlin hissed to Gwen as he put away Arthur's clean laundry.

Gwen just shrugged as she folded a shawl (apparently, you could make a servant into a Queen, but you couldn't stop her from refusing to be self-sufficient,) “It's not like you and Arthur's . . . _relationship_ . . . hasn't been subject of castle gossip before.” She laid the shawl on the table before her.

Merlin cringed. “It's _different_ now.”

“Is it?” she asked, an odd gleam in her eye.

“ _Yes_ ,” he replied emphatically. “For one, it's not happened since Arthur married you, and for two, it's untrue. Arthur's never . . . he just doesn't. And while I think it's good for _him_ to have his ego lanced once in a while, it's insulting to _you_ , and I won't have it.”

“Oh, Merlin, you're so sweet,” Gwen laughed. “But I think you're wrong about Arthur.”

He blinked. “Wait, which part? Because I'm quite certain his egotism is a danger to himself and others--” Because surely she didn't mean . . .

Gwen looked at him with a mixture of affection and pity, “I know neither of you have said as much, but Arthur really cares about you.”

Heat started flaring up in his ears and the back of his neck, and Merlin fixed his gaze firmly on the wardrobe as he hung shirts. “Of-of course. We're friends. I mean, when he's not too much of a prat to admit it.”

“I believed the rumours, you know.”

Merlin dropped the shirts. Then cursed as he jumped to grab them before creases could form. Then cautiously peeked over at Gwen, who was watching him with that fond exasperation he was so familiar with. “You did? But . . . then, why—um.”

She smiled. “I love Arthur. And Camelot—well, _Arthur_ needed a Queen. Someone he can trust. And he loves me. I know he does. But Arthur's heart is so _big_ . . . and he needs you just as much as he needs me.”

Merlin's chest was tight with some emotion he didn't want to examine too closely, and his hands were shaking, which made hanging clothing even more difficult. “Gwen, I . . .” He realized that he had no idea what to say.

Gwen moved to the wardrobe next to Arthur's, placing her clothes inside. “Once, very early on, he told me that sometimes he dreamed of leaving Camelot. Having a farm.”

He was startled into a laugh. “Like _he_ could handle a farm. He can't even wash his own clothes.” He shook a random bit of clothing at her as though to emphasize his point.

She smirked at him, “He told me that _you_ would be there to handle the heavy work.

“Typical.” He snorted.

“Yes, well. I think it says something that even when he imagines leaving it all behind, that he's still with you.” Gwen laid a hand on his shoulder. “Merlin, he needs you. Now, more than ever.” And with that, she left the room, leaving a gaping manservant in her wake.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was more difficult than he'd expected, helping Arthur. Merlin's entire life at Camelot involved varying degrees of being _beneath_ notice, and it was hard to break the habit. Where once he stood just off to the side of the throne and stood patiently during council sessions, now he was seated at Arthur's left, and required to participate. He even tried being deferential, but usually failed whenever the other council members said anything particularly obnoxious—coming back with the sort of sass that probably had Uther rolling in his grave, while Arthur struggled to hide a delighted grin.

“You know, you and those faces you'd make behind their backs were the only thing standing between me and falling asleep all this time,” Arthur confided at one point. “If I'd known that actually letting you talk would be _this_ hilarious, I'd have done so back when I was Regent.”

“And I'm pretty sure your father would have cured himself just so he could have me flogged for my impertinence,” Merlin shot back, glad when the joke was taken in good humour, Arthur simply grinning and making a rude gesture in his direction. Uther was a bit of a sore subject at times, compounded now, after the incident with his ghost.

Another thing that was difficult to abdicate was his place as Arthur's manservant. Merlin _hated_ the thought of letting George take over for good, and in the end, it was actually George who suggested they compromise. George willingly took over the bulk of the menial work—the polishing, the laundry, the cleaning, the actual cooking, and serving at meals (this last only because Arthur expected Merlin to eat with them.) Merlin was left in charge of repairing Arthur's armour and tending Excalibur (since he always felt uneasy unless he was the one to handle things regarding Arthur's safety,) deciding what was on the menu, and anything that actually involved _tending_ to Arthur. 

And George, who was stuffy but not a fool, did not question why Merlin still wanted to dress and bathe and generally coddle Arthur, which was probably the best for everyone's equilibrium, but _terrible_ in terms of encouraging the palace gossip.

Arthur never questioned it either.

In his sudden free time, Merlin pored over old books pre-dating the Purge, looking at the old systems of laws that had been in place during the reigns of Uther's predecessors. The secret room in the library ended up being incredibly helpful, as well, as it included records kept by previous Court Sorcerers. Between what he learned there, and what he'd learned himself, and advice from Gaius, he had a pretty good idea of what the laws in place needed to be. 

The trick was convincing everyone _else_.

Arthur was easiest, of course, along with the people Merlin knew best. It was the councillors and older knights that caused the most issue. Merlin was called again and again to explain various bits of magic and how it worked and Arthur or Gwen was _constantly_ dragging him around to have private dinners with different people and he had to be _polite_ and listen and make his own points back and it was _exhausting._

But finally, finally, after months of civil debates and not-so-civil arguments and about seventeen different drafts of the new set of laws, it was done. Merlin stood on the balcony overlooking the courtyard where one day, so many years ago, he'd first come to Camelot and first watched a magic user executed. He watched carefully as Arthur stood in what was once Uther's spot and decreed that magic was no longer banned in it's entirety—that only magic meant to be harmful to others was restricted. That the practice of the Old Religion was no longer to be discouraged, and that the persecution of magic users who broke the laws in place would be conducted with both justice and mercy—execution, if warranted, would be by decapitation, not burning at the stake.

The response was a mixture of trepidation and relief, with various forays into outright joy or terror, and Merlin wasn't foolish enough to think that the difficult times were over. All things considered, Arthur's burden was going to be heavier than ever, as he fought against ingrained prejudice and fear. But as Merlin stood next to his King, who declared him to all as the official Court Sorcerer of Camelot, he knew that so long as he was there to share that burden, there wasn't any challenge they couldn't face.

It was destiny, after all.


End file.
